TIIK WORLD'S MEAT FUTURE 



market since the initiation of refrigeration. The total number 

 of carcases exported to this country was 224,000,000. New 

 Zealand had sent 107,000,000 of this number, Australia and 

 the Argentine being responsible for the balance of 117,000,000. 

 And what of the prosperity that had followed this ? In 1880 

 the population of New Zealand was less than half a million ; 

 it was now 1.180,000. In 1880 lands in occupation amounted 

 to 24,000 holdings ; there were now 80,000 holdings, com- 

 prising 42.ooo.oo0 acres in cultivation, and the capital value 

 of the land was £389,000,000, as against £100,000,000 in 1880. 

 "It must not be concluded that all this work had been easily 

 done. Its accomplishment required great enterprise, energy, 

 knowledge and capital. Might he strike a personal note ? He 

 was a shareholder in one of the earliest freezing companies, 

 and in later years became the Minister of the Department 

 (Agriculture) which had under its charge the supervision of all 

 abattoirs in New Zealand, and the Inspectors who examined 

 every animal before it was exported, seeing to its absolute 

 healthiness, and attaching to every carcase a certificate that 

 it was absolutely free from all disease." 



The British Navy 



A few particulars may be given here of what the British 

 Navy did for New Zealand for four past seasons : — 



Shipped 2,148,418 carcases of beef, lost 18,829 quarters ; 

 7,780,995 carcases mutton, lost 106,260 carcases ; 9,189,564 

 carcases lamb, lost 91,080 carcases ; 1,100,000 crates cheese, 

 lost 63,000 crates. 



Out of 570,000 bales of wool only 9,668 were lost during 

 1917 and 1918. This is a wonderful performance, and one 

 the Navy may feel proud of. All such statistics should be 

 printed for use in the schools of the British Empire. 



